


Contraband

by BelleMorte180



Category: The Originals (TV), The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24606976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BelleMorte180/pseuds/BelleMorte180
Summary: After being run out of Mystic Falls, Caroline sets up an operation in New Orleans that attracts Original Vampire and Hybrid, Klaus Mikaelson. Klaus is interested in learning why certain members of the human faction cannot be compelled and discovers a young vampire who not only mastered vampirism in only a decade but was able to fly under his radar for so long.Written for June 2020 BingoPrompt: Vervain
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Comments: 25
Kudos: 205





	Contraband

The hallway was dark and haunting, shadows dancing along the windowless corridor. The industrial apartment building was located in the Warehouse District of New Orleans and perfect for Caroline’s purpose. It was made of dark red brick, and large massive windows that took up the top level from floor to ceiling, which belonged to Caroline alone. Once she had moved in nearly eight years previously, she compelled the entire building to forget her existence. She found that the one and only perk of being forced to operate under the coat of darkness was being forgettable. Caroline liked staying alive more than she liked attention. 

Once upon a time, Caroline was desperate for attention. However, when she was smothered in her sleep and awoke as a vampire, she found a strength within herself that she never thought she had. When those whose attention she craved turned their back on her completely, Caroline found she had little to no choice but to become self-reliant. She learned more about herself when she was forced to flee than she ever could have in that small little town. 

As Caroline climbed the stairs to her apartment, mere minutes before sunrise, she saw something in the shadows. Her body tensed, preparing for a fight but she was not quick enough. She flashed to her door and found herself pinned against the back of it. 

“Cutting it close, are we not Sweetheart?” A British accent caressed her ear. Caroline did what she could to fight him off, but his grip was too strong. Either way, she did not stop fighting and that seemed to amuse him; as though he was enjoying watching her struggled. That just pissed her off even more. “Now, calm down. I’m not here to hurt you.” 

“Why do I doubt that?” Caroline snapped back in a hateful tone. As though to show his word was good, the intruder let go of her and backed away from her with hands raised. Caroline’s vampire eyesight focused on him and her dead heart stopped. Her eyes widened as she took him in, and she almost gave a humorless laugh. “Oh, fuck.” 

“Ah, so you do know who I am? Fantastic.” Klaus Mikaelson was the Hybrid and King of the Quarter. He ruled the supernatural world with an iron fist after coming out of ‘retirement’ nearly a decade previously. She did not know the particulars of his return to the supernatural world, something about a curse, but he had come to New Orleans and decimated the previous ruler, Marcel, who not lay desiccated in The Garden. It was a fascinating tale that Caroline was able to watch unfold from behind the scenes. “Are you going to let me in?”

Klaus eyes trailed over her; taking in every inch of her person. He had been watching her for weeks and waiting for the right moment to make his approach. At first, he was simply going to kill her but when he realized her potential, he could not help but wonder what it would be like to have such a fiery creature on his side. She would make for a great potential ally. Seeing how Caroline looked at him and contemplated her options, Klaus knew he was making the right choice. 

“Seeing that I don’t have a death wish, come on in.” Caroline muttered, hesitantly turning her back on him. She assumed that if she refused him, he would be killing her in the hallway. If she let him in, he would kill her in the brightness of her apartment; it was an easy choice. She pulled out her keys and pushed the door open. When Caroline stepped over the threshold to her apartment, the morning sun flowed through the large windows as the sun rose in the sky; casting a beautiful glow against the open floor plan. 

Caroline’s apartment was her pride and joy. Once she had gotten complete control of her vampire side, which did not take long, and was able to gather up enough funds to build her dream apartment; she held nothing back. It was large with hardwood flooring, an updated kitchen and modern décor. It had a very industrial look that matched perfectly with the Warehouse district and the far wall was made of the same dusty brick wall the exterior had while the other wall was completely made up of floor to ceiling windows. 

Caroline watched Klaus step over the threshold; his eyes taking in every inch of the apartment. Seeing the artwork on the wall and the bookshelf filled with romance novels and the most popular young adult books, he could not help but chuckle. He walked over to the windows and knocked his knuckles against them lightly.

“UV Ray protected windows. Smart.” 

“Yeah, well. Since I don’t have a nifty daylight ring to protect me from burning up, I wanted the next best thing.” Caroline crossed her arms. She figured if he was going to kill her, then the least she could do was to go down with some sass. “If I can’t go into the sunlight, I will be sure to bring the sunlight to me.” 

“How resourceful.” Klaus turned from the window and walked over to Caroline’s dining room table. The tabletop was made from concrete and legs it stood on where made of dark black iron; the chairs made of the exact same dark iron. “But I admire that about you. Resourcefulness. It got you this far hasn’t it?”

“Awesome. It’s going to be a chatty death.” 

“I already told you, Sweetheart, that I am not here to hurt you.”

“First off. My name is Caroline and second, deaths can be painless.” 

“I’m wounded. Do you really think that low of me?”

“Yes.”

“Let me be clear then, I am not going to kill you. I promise.” Klaus replied with an infuriating smirk. “I took over this city, little over nine years ago now, give or take a month or so. And yet when I took back my city, I did not know about your little scheme. Seeing that it took me years to discover it, well color me impressed, Caroline.”

“Yeah, well. Marcel didn’t catch on either and he was the ruler of this city when I arrived so, don’t feel too bad about yourself.” Caroline replied and Klaus chuckled, enjoying her wit and brass. “Although, to be fair by the time I was up and operational, Marcel had far bigger concerns to worry about then a little contraband.” 

“Now Caroline, do not sell yourself short. It is not just a little contraband.” Klaus replied, his pearly white teeth showing and his eyes gazing over her body as though he were imagining her naked. “It took me a good long while to figure out why certain members of the human faction were not able to be compelled. Well, I knew why and how I just did not know the source of where they were getting it from. The herb does not grow in these parts now does it?”

“Nope.” Caroline replied, giving him her best pageant smile and fought down the urge to give him the middle finger. He had not killed her yet and claimed that he did not want to hurt her. “Although, it was not hard to figure out how to make it grow indoors. A little bright light, special soil and I was up and running.” 

“I want to see it.” Caroline pursed her lips as though she was thinking. Klaus flashed from his seat and towered over her. Despite the golden glow in his eyes, Caroline suddenly felt brave. Her eyes tilted upward in order to glare back at him. “Now Caroline.” 

“Fine.” She snapped at him. She didn’t want to show him anything, but she knew better. She knew that if she denied him, he would force her anyway and seeing that she could not be compelled, for she used her own product to her advantage, he would take it via more forceful and more painful ways. Caroline turned on her heels and walked out of the main area of the apartment and down a long hallway. 

Klaus kept up with her easily. The hallway was darker than the rest of the apartment but still had a significant amount of light beaming through a window at the very end of the hall. There were several paintings on the walls and a second bookshelf against the one wall; that also had very trendy and somewhat trashy books on them as the other one. It was a fact that made Klaus chuckle and imagine run slightly wild. It was obvious how Caroline spent her days when trapped indoors. 

At the end of the hallway, there were two doors facing opposite each other. Caroline turned towards the one on the left and Klaus noticed that there was a keypad attached to it; which highly impressed Klaus. Caroline quickly typed in a series of numbers and pushed open the door. Inside was a large room that he assumed used to be several at one point but had the walls knocked down. The windows were covered with blackout curtains and from the ceiling hung high beamed lights.

“I would shudder to think what my electric bill would be if it wasn’t for compulsion.” Caroline muttered lowly as Klaus stepped into the room. Rows upon rows the room was lined with a purple flower that seemed to amaze Klaus. He reached out to touch it but snapped his hand back once it burned him. “You would think that after a thousand years, you would have realized vervain burns vampires.”

“How?”

“How what?” Caroline cocked her head and Klaus turned to look at her as though to send her a patronizing took. “How did I get this much vervain?” He nodded at her and turned back to the plant, inspecting it. “Well, I grew up in a small town in Virginia called Mystic Falls.” Klaus whipped around to stare at her with wide eyes. “You’ve heard of it?”

“I was there a few years back. Had some business to attend to. The place is overrun with all manner of supernatural beings. You should have been right at home there and yet you ended up in New Orleans?”

“Yeah, well, apparently when I was turned, the supernatural were not as welcome.” Caroline hissed back, an old would echoing in her tone. “I was smothered in a hospital bed while I had vampire blood in my system. I had no idea that vampires were even a thing and I woke up confused as hell as to what was going on. I was incredibly thirsty and sort of freaking out why I wanted to drink blood. Memories that I never had before kept coming back and I…” His eyes flashed in her mind and Caroline had to bite down a shudder. She couldn’t help but connect Mystic Falls with those memories she buried deep down inside. “I started remembering things I wished I could forget. When my so-called friends realized what was happening to me, they turned on me. The vampire who created me tried to kill me. My best friend, who I now know is a witch but didn’t at the time, couldn’t stand the sight of me. My other best friend was too involved with her two vampire loves to really even try and help me.”

“You mean Elena Gilbert.”

“Yes.” Caroline cocked her head. “You’ve met her?”

“Oh yes.” Klaus tossed a nasty smile to Caroline and it sent chills down her spin, but she could tell the venom behind it was not meant for her. “I got to know her and the two Salvatore brothers very well. They’re idiots.” Caroline snorted at that but said nothing. “Elena is a vampire now.” That got Caroline’s attention, shooting a look at Klaus. “Her and that witch friend I’m assuming you referred to before are still close as can be.” 

“Of course, they are.” Klaus could hear the hint of bitterness in her tone and it surprised him that he wanted to reach out and comfort her; but he suspected that she would not respond well to his attempts and refrained. As much as feeling her hand against his cheeks in a sharp slap would be tantalizing, it would only derail his plans. “But then again, little old Caroline never mattered much to them anyway.”

“Like I said, they’re all idiots.” Klaus uttered back. “I can attest Sweetheart that neither Damon nor Stefan are fine examples of vampires and you have outgrown them in a mere decade than they had in a century.” Klaus told her and he couldn’t help but enjoy the blush that crept upon her cheeks. “None of this explains the vervain.”

“Oh. That. My mom is Liz Forbes.” Forbes. Klaus could have kicked himself. He studied Caroline for weeks before approaching her. He knew her last name but never realized she steamed from Mystic Falls. Of course, that was how she got vervain. “She figured out quickly that her daughter couldn’t walk in the sun and all but ran me out of town. She called me a monster. Anyway, as I was fleeing, I stumbled upon a package my mom had. One a whim and pettiness, I stole it and ran off with it. Best impulse decision I ever made.”

“So, when you came to New Orleans, you knew nothing about what this was?” Klaus asked, pointing to the vervain. Caroline shook her head and nodded as though she was not understanding his surprise. Klaus assumed that, in observing her, she would have to of had some sort of training at vampirism given the fact at how good she was at it. To hear that within a decade, she not only controlled her bloodlust but built a small empire by selling contraband that Marcel had long outlawed in this city. On top of that, it took Klaus years to track down the source of vervain leaking into his city. “That is remarkable.” 

“Seriously? I don’t consider it remarkable but more like an act of survival.” 

“Oh no, Sweetheart, I don’t think you realize how remarkable you really are.” Caroline flushed again and Klaus smirked at her. “From what I understand you’ve been selling to the high members of the human faction? Yet, no luck with the witches?” 

“Witches are a pain in my ass. They can’t be compelled and therefore no use for vervain. If they did, I would have traded myself a daylight ring by now.” Caroline muttered. “The human’s however, I have eating out of my hand. The mayor, governor and any high-profile official buys from me. It’s why they can’t be compelled, and you have to result to good blackmail and threats to get what you want. Such a hardship, I know.” Caroline again tossed him that pageant smile that he suddenly realized he adored. “I’m assuming this is the part where you rip out my heart now that you know all my dirty little secrets.”

“If that was the case, shouldn’t you be running by now?”

“Like I could outrun you?” Caroline snorted. “Look, I don’t want to die but I’m also not stupid. So, either kill me now and get it over with or tell me what you are after?” Klaus looked at her with that smirk; the one that Caroline itched to remove from his face. She just did not know if she wanted to hit him or kiss him. Either were fare game at this point. He may be terrifying, but she wasn’t blind. Klaus was an attractive man. 

“I already told you. I’m not going to kill you.” Klaus replied. “I’m here on a matter of business.” He looked down again at the vervain and touched it; allowing the burning pain to caress his fingers. “I am interested in becoming a customer.”

“Seriously? You want to buy vervain off of me? Why?” Caroline’s eyes shot up in surprise. Klaus did not answer her but instead just gave a sinister smile, still touching the vervain; completing unaffected by the pain. Realization as to why Klaus would want the vervain for. “Ugh, you want to use it to torture vampires, don’t you?”

“Perhaps.”

“Ugh. Okay, whatever. I don’t care why you want it.” Caroline decided. “If you want to buy from me that’s fine. However, I’ll tell you right now I do not plan on stopping supplying the human faction. Got to pay the bills.”

“Sweetheart, I have no desire to stop you from earning a living. Continue feeding the vervain to high officials, it matters not. Blackmail and torture work just fine when it comes to achieving what I want.”

“Thank you.” Caroline said, surprised. She had been expecting him to tell her that she had to stop supplying the human faction with vervain; not that she planned on listening. “So, how do you want to do this. I can package the amount you want upon payment. I prefer cash.”

“I’m not going to pay you.”

“Excuse me?”

“That came out badly.” Klaus came to her and smiled at her. “Instead of cash, I am offering you a one-time payment for an infinite amount of vervain over a long period of time.” Caroline was about to argue but Klaus pulled a small piece of jewelry out of his pocket and held it out to her. “In exchange for the vervain, I will give you this.”

“Tacky jewelry?” Her eyes looked at the ring, not daring herself to believe that it was not what she thought it was. She had spent years trying to find a witch who would make one for her but none wanted to. She found that witches did not play well with vampires, claiming them to be unnatural. Thus far, Caroline had been cursed to the darkness. “Is that what I think it is?”

“A daylight ring? Yes.” Klaus was giving her a genuine smile. “Like I said, in exchange for an eternity of walking in the sunlight, you supply me with vervain when requested.” Klaus reached out and took Caroline’s hand into his, the feeling of his hand connecting with hers sending shivers down his spine and placed the ring on her finger. “What do you say?”

“Yes.” Caroline whispered, not taking her eyes off the small ring on her finger. Within seconds, Caroline flashed out of the apartment and into the middle of the street. Warmth touched her skin and Caroline all but squealed. She outstretched her arms, taking in the morning sunlight, spinning around. Klaus followed her and watched as she danced in the sun; an amusing smile on his face; listening to her laugh. 

“I take it we have a deal?” Caroline stopped, turning to face him; completing forgetting that Klaus had been there. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment but shot him a thankful smile. She nodded, acknowledging that she would provide Klaus with whatever he wanted because of this ring. “Splendid. I propose that a celebration is in order. There is a lovely little café in the middle of the French Quarter with beautiful outside seating. We can iron out our deal.” 

“The deal seems pretty cut and dry to me.” Caroline replied but there was no malice in her tone. She was far so happy for that. “However, I’ve haven’t had a latte first thing in the morning in a decade so if you’re buying, it would be rude to say no.” 

“Oh, most certainly it would be.” Klaus held out his arm and Caroline linked hers through it; tossing him a genuine smile as she went. Klaus could have been the devil himself and Caroline would have done anything for that ring now on her finger. “I believe that this could be the start to a beautiful friendship.”

**Author's Note:**

> I really like this story and was very happy with how it came out.  
> I have some ideas of where this goes and maybe will continue later on in a series of one-shots but no promises.


End file.
